Baby-proofing Tips for the Hotel Room

Baby-proofing a hotel room is much like baby-proofing your home, except on a much smaller scale. Many hotels offer childproofing supplies, along with cribs and highchairs; of that number, some will even baby-proof the room before you arrive.

If you are going to stay in a hotel that does not offer these services, you will need to bring your own baby-proofing equipment. Masking tape can work wonders if your trunk space is limited; you can use it to cover outlets, secure cabinet doors, and round-off rough edges, and tape the wound-up lengths of lamp cords. However, this is not suggested for an extended period of time. In those cases, the standard equipment is highly recommended.

Make sure that you inspect the room carefully, including an inspection of the floor for loose staples or lost buttons that the sweeper might have missed. Also, check in the drawers for small pencils and other items that could be potentially dangerous if found by your small child.

Many hotels are able to provide traveling families with cribs; however, many are not up to current standards. Make sure that the mattress fits snugly against the crib so that there is no gap, and take all pillows and excess blankets out of the crib. Also, be sure to place the crib where the infant is not able to reach window blind cords, drapery cords, or other objects that could easily cause strangulation.

It is important to remember that the water temperature in your hotel may not be set for the same temperature as your home thermostat. You must carefully test the water before bath time to make sure that it is not too hot for your child.

If your baby is old enough to pull himself up to a standing position, be sure to protect the sharp corners on nightstands and dressers. It is also a good idea to secure the room's refrigerator/mini bar. As a parent, you know that if your child is determined enough, he can get into anything.